Owner of mystery Reading boat fined
The unregistered craft was moored opposite Reading Marine services
A Reading based boat-owner has been convicted and fined for failing to register his boat for use on the River Thames.
Environment Agency officers discovered an unnamed boat (moored opposite Reading Marine Services) during routine checks in August last year.
As the boat was unmarked it was impossible to carry out a check on the National Licensing System (NLS), the database containing the details of all the vessels registered on the non-tidal Thames. Warning notices were affixed to the boat requiring the owner to notify the Environment Agency with personal details, a valid registration and insurance within 28 days.
No correspondence was received, but in September the Environment Agency was given intelligence that the vessel was called the Wee Lamb and belonged to Michael Toner of Oxford Road, Reading. The NLS showed the vessel to be unregistered, a situation that continued through to December.
Reading magistrates’ court was told that Toner had skipped the annual £280.04 registration fee, determined by the length and width of the boat. Including costs and compensation, he was required to pay a total of £1399.04.
Clear warning
Colin Chiverton, Environment Manager at the Environment Agency said:
“Mr Toner operated an unmarked vessel – you can’t do that with a car and the same rules apply with a boat. He had from August to December to make things right, though we received no correspondence at all. We’re delighted with this fine that sends a clear warning to all unregistered boat owners – it’s just not worth the risk.
“If you have an unregistered boat on the Thames, you should know that our enforcement teams are already out patrolling the river, checking for valid registrations.”
Similar to excise duty for road vehicles, boat registration fees allow the Environment Agency to manage and maintain more than 600 miles of inland waterways across England, keeping them open and safe for thousands of boaters.
Michael Toner did not attend the hearing in Reading magistrates’ court on 15 March 2024 of breaching the Environment Agency (Inland Waterways) Order 2010. He was fined £600 with a victim surcharge of £240. The costs were £270 and the outstanding boat registration fee was £280.04 for 1 January to 31 December 2023.